The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Darkness Descends: Tips for driving at night
THE dark evenings are here to stay for a number of months and this darkness leaves us heavily reliant on our vision. With that in mind the RSA have issued a number of tips to help Cork motorists enhance visibility and stay safe on the road this winter. In no order of importance:
LIGHTS
Check all lights before setting off on a journey to ensure they are all working and are clean. You’ ll need a little help with this so recruit a family member or friend. Ensure all bulbs are working on your brake, head, dip, reverse, indicator and fog lights. Working lights are extremely important in the dark to give you maximum visibility. Use your beams as much as possible but make sure to dip for on-coming traffic.
WINDSCREEN
Having a clean windscreen is very important to avoid any glare which can alter your visibility. Ensure you windscreen washer is topped up so you can clean your windscreen when and as you need. This level should always be checked before setting off on a journey.
ON-COMING TRAFFIC
Always dip your headlights. When on-coming traffic dazzles you by failing to turn off their headlights you should always turn your vision to the left verge briefly or beyond the car to avoid looking directly at the lights, doing so will impair your vision even after the vehicle has passed.
TIRED WHILE DRIVING
If you feel tired when driving you should always stop, grab a coffee and have a 20 minute nap in a safe place.
WATCH FOR WILDLIFE
A lot of animals come out in the dark so it is important to be mindful of this. Animals are much more difficult to see at night. When you do see them it’s crucial to slow down as soon as possible as an encounter with them can be quite devastating.
SAFE DRIVING DISTANCE
Always keep a safe distance between you and the car in front of you. They may spot obstacles in the road before you and brake so make sure to leave a distance which will allow you to come to a safe halt too if needs be.
There are a lot of dangers when driving at night mainly due to the lack of visibility caused by the dark, following the above tips will help you stay safer on the road during these winter months. To quote the RSA “Slow down and expect the unexpected”.